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About Me

I am a below knee amputee. More importantly, I am also Mommy to two boys, a very active 10 year old (Robby) and an mischievous toddler (Timmy). I have learned that being a parent with a disability can create some unusual and sometimes humorous situations.
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Friday, November 30, 2012

Botox

For the first time since my injury on Monday I received some positive
news. Although I'm still hurting, I am now feeling optimistic about my
prognosis. It's amazing what a little good news can do to buoy ones
spirits!

When I fell, the muscle tore and detached from the tibia
on my residual limb. The muscle then went into a contraction, in
essence pulling in upon itself. The contorted, dislodged muscle has been
the crux of a majority of the pain that I have been experiencing.

My
doctor spent nearly 20 minutes massaging my limb in an effort to
reposition the tissue. When I think of getting a massage, I usually
think of lying on a table in a dimly lit room, listening to harp music
and smelling various incense while somebody gently rubs away my
tensions. It is a rare luxury where I am pampered and doted upon. What I
experienced on Wednesday was anything but relaxing!

It was
painful to the point of forcing me to sweat and causing me to become
dizzy. It felt like the doctor was pushing his thumbs directly into my
eye sockets, the only difference being that the pain was in my leg and
not on my face. He pulled, pulled, and pressed on my sensitive limb
until the muscle was finally in the correct position. When he was
satisfied, he pulled out the needles.

Seeing needles and knowing
that they are about to puncture my residual limb is a frightening
experience. By injecting the muscle with botox, we are hoping that the
muscle contractions will stop and the tissue will remain in place.
(Of course, I was planning on my inaugural botox injection being occurring on my face, so the fact that it was in my limb instead was a bit disappointing!) Although I hate shots, I knew that stopping the spasms is integral to my
healing quickly and properly. I buried my head in a pillow and endured 5
separate injections directly into my sensitive residual limb.

If
the botox was successful, the doctor said that I would notice an
improvement by Friday. I don't know if it is wishful thinking, but I
have already noticed a decrease in the intensity of my pain as well as a
marked increase in my range of motion when bending my knee. I don't
want to jinx anything, but I think I may be on the road to recovery!

Tomorrow
afternoon Scott, Robby, and I board a plane to Florida. Monday morning
we will embark on our cruise ship and begin our much anticipated oceanic
adventure. I have accepted that I will have limited mobility on
vacation, but I am elated with the prospect of having decreased pain.
Here's hoping it worked!